White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko had another fine year in 2012, posting a line of .298/.371/.486 with 26 homers. It was especially notable for its fast start, as Konerko was pusing .400 through late May. But Chuck Garfien of CSNChicago.com reports Konerko told folks at Sox Fest over the weekend that it was a major struggle:

“I never felt that good from the get-go, so it was kind of one of those years where it was smoke and mirrors for most of it,” Konerko admits. “Looking back on it, I feel like it could have been a disaster if I didn’t grind through it probably as much as I can. I just didn’t feel like I had it. You have years like that.”

The rest of his comments suggest a guy who knows the end is near and is perfectly realistic about it. Always love to see that.